The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1887-01-06

Frauds IN MANUFACTURE.

ne tendency OF The age, IN manufac-
..res at least, is to adulteration and the
LEGATION of limitations OF standard
.ods. There is something to be said in
% of the latter perhaps, if the imita-
tons were not put upon the market as
genuine articles. Forexample, ''shoddy''
serves d very useful purpose in tho eco
uomic world. Its manufacture utilities
nat otherwise would be sheer waste
and consequent absolute loss of wealth
I'd it should furnish cheap and fairly
yiceable articles of wear. But "shod-
1f goods are a fraud upon he buyer
en- it is sold as genuine cloth, made
direct from wool for example. And SO
ri other articles of manufacture in gen
eral use. So far as these utilize what
osherwise would be wasted and furnish
employment for labor and legitimate
Investment for capital in their fabrica-
lion they are a public gain, but when
they are marketed upon false reprcsen-
tltion a fraud is committed, and laws
should be formulated to protect the pub
lie against impositiOns of that kind
whether the article be one Of food, wear
or general utility. The United States
Congress passed a law compelling the
manufacturers of limitations of dairy
products to label their commodities and
sell them upon their intrinsic merits
This was fair to the dairy interests OF the
L nited States and to consumers also,
and it has benefited the trade in ques-
ton by giving oleoInargarine and its
allied products recognized standing in
the world of commerce
1t has long been complaint at home
and abroad of the inferior quality of
English cotton goods, but the Imperial
Parliament has not interposed to regulate
this great line of manufactures, despite
its intermeddling activity in other direc-
tons. This is doubtless owing to the
fact that the cotton lords - control
such vast power, and that the Govern
ment is afraid to antagonize them In
deed, the manufacturing interests of the
United Kingdom have controlled all
Liberal Administrations since the down
fall of the first Tory Government under
Lord Derby, and the Tories are not
strong enough, even ii they were willing,
to antagonize them. But the British
people are beer-drinkers as a rule, and
Parliament has enacted law III their
interests. 1t prohibits the use OF any
other commodities in the manufacture
Of malt liquor than hops, malt and water |
The use of deleterious drugs in the manu- |
facture of light ales and beer had become |
pretty general, and this law was passed to |
compel the manufacture of wholesome |
liquor. This was a wise provision, be- |
cause to the average Englishman ale is
an article of diet rather than beverage |
4 similar law in the United States |
would be attended by saiutary effects, |
but it is not at all likely to be enacted, |
there being no great domestic industry
brought into competition with the /
brewers as was the case with the bogus
butter trade.
The Hawaiian Legislature passed an
Act last session, which was approved
October 18th, empowering the Minister
OF the Interior to issue license for a
term OF fifteen years for the brewing of
malt liquors in the district of Honolulu
This law provides among other things
that no deleterious or poisonous drug or
substance shall be used in the manufac-
ture OF malt liquors by the licensee. 1t
does not restrict the brewer to the use
Of malt, hops and water like the English
law This is sugar producing country,
and molasses or sugar may be'used in
the manufacture of beer, with a proper
lion of hops and malt England is an
agricultural country to a great extent,
and the mating and brewing interests
IRE largely identified with the farming
industry. Hence the restricted charac-
Ter OF It's brewing law. Reasons of
different kind operate in this country,
which account for the character of the
aw now upon our statute book. 1t is to
,e hoped that this enactment Will not
emain dead letter, but that we shall
Don see wholesome beer brewed for
lome consumption in Honolulu. i